John Donne

In “The Flea,” John Donne uses a metaphysical conceit through the imagery of a flea to portray sexual desires and romance. In the very first line of the poem, the speaker brings up the flea by telling the woman to “Mark but this flea,” which makes it sound like he wants the woman to only pay attention to the flea and nothing else (line 1). In the third line, the imagery the flea is further expanded upon when the speaker begins making the flea sound like a sexual object, such as when he says, “It…

then can be said that the poem does is in fact have a contemporary wit. Reece writes of Herbert in general, “He 's not the prima donna John Donne was, as W. H. Auden wryly pointed out. Donne with all his floods and trumpets, his infinities of souls and "Death be not proud," is the ultimate contrast” (32). This shows that once again, Herbert can stand up against Donne and even be better through his differences and this proves Herbert’s wit. The poem “Paradise” also has some shape play, but the…

think of dying and the feelings involved in this inevitable part of life. The emotive topic has been expressed through poetry. Two writers, Dylan Thomas and John Donne, specifically, have created two opposing yet simultaneously similar poems that reflect their personal standpoints on handling the end of life. These poems by Thomas and Donne, titled “Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night” (page 768) and “Death Be Not Proud” (page 808), respectively, yield a comparison in the topic of death where…

“Holy Sonnet XIV” by John Donne describes the desperate want but incredible difficulty of reaching God. Through figurative language such as imagery, alliteration, and simile, the author is able to convey that despite the difficulty, it is possible to be close to God by fully submitting oneself to him. Alliteration is the repetition of the same sound at the beginning of successive words to provide rhythm and emphasis for readers. In line 4, the speaker asks for God to “break, burn, [and] blow”…

John Donne’s “Death Be Not Proud” and Anne Finch’s “To Death” personify the abstraction of death through their manipulation of apostrophe and figurative language. Their vivid descriptions extend beyond a mere conversation with death, revealing their inner thoughts toward the inevitable demise of every human. Though examining the same theme, Donne and Finch develop vastly different tones. Donne’s tone of defiance juxtaposes Finch’s tone of resignation, cultivating these through the use of…

poems “A Valediction Forbidding Mourning” by John Donne and “Do not go gentle into that good night” by Dylan Thomas, death is presented as a life lesson through personification, allegory, and visual imagery, rather than a negative connotation based on prejudiced biasing. In these poems, the authors use personification to prove that death is a life lesson. Death is a valuable occurrence in life. People find it easy to find death in its negative state.…

aspects of death into one group? When one thinks of human death, it is easy to perceive it in a negative light. But with the help of the three poems "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas, "Holy Sonnet X: Death Be Not Proud" by John Donne, and "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" by Emily Dickinson, these selections highlight how death can have different perspectives, as well as various attitudes. Death can be seen as a type of freedom, but is often looked upon something to be…

the other do. John Freccero states that: “The poem reversed a traditional figure and gave to the neo-Petrarchan dialectic of presence and absence a new metaphysical meaning. As…

The Holy Sonnets and other Poems by John Donne (1572-1631) as well as the post-modern theatrical production “W;T” by Margaret Edson (1995) explore the enduring themes of the human condition, such as the mortality of man, and the interpersonal bonds that define humanity. These themes manifest in a religious context through Donne’s English Renaissance (1590 – 1710) due to the Calvinist beliefs of his time; such as life after death and an intrinsic potential for human bonds to be spiritual and…

poet feels spiritually while connecting it to objects that the readers are familiar with. The use of these literary devices are exceedingly effective in giving the reader a more indepth of what the speaker is thinking through the strange metaphors. John Donne’s, A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning, is an excellent example as to how meticulous a metaphysical conceit may be and gives the readers a chance to connect with the poet and understand how deep rooted the love he has for his wife. In…